Name: Thai Chicken Meatballs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 lbs ground chicken (or turkey); 1 tsp sambal oelek (or other chili paste); 1 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tsp sugar; 2 tsp lime juice; 2 tsp ginger (grated); 2 garlic cloves (finely minced); 2 green onion (finely sliced); 1 egg; 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs; oil spray (for cooking); 1/2 tsp sambal oelek; 2 tsp fish sauce; 2 tsp soy sauce; 2 tsp lime juice; 1 tbsp water

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Perfect little bite-size appetizers, these Thai chicken meatballs are your go-to football party finger food. Quick and easy to make, these meatballs are so soft, plump and juicy! Make ahead of time and serve hot or cold!

thai chicken meatballs in white and brown bowls on large white plate

Thai Chicken Meatball Recipe

With football season approaching, it’s time to get thinking about planning your football snacks and gatherings! And what better way to celebrate, than with these perfect little bite-size Thai chicken balls.

Seriously, who doesn’t love little delicious bite-size pieces of meat! The great things about these Meatball Thai Appetizers are that they can be made ahead of time, meaning you don’t have to stress about being prepared the day of your party! As far as I am concerned, meatball recipes are the perfect elegant appetizer for every party.

These meatballs are light and fresh, combining the flavors of Thai in a perfectly balanced little snack. When it comes to Thai cooking, it’s important that there is a balance between sweet, spicy, salty and sour. The sweetness comes from the sugar, the sour from the lime juice, salty from the fish sauce, and spicy from the sambal oelek.

Obviously, with raw chicken, you cannot taste to see if you’re flavor balance is on point, which is why I’ve taken the hard work out of it for you! The quantities in the recipe for meatballs are tested to a tee!

thai chicken meatball ingredients in a clear bowl

These meatballs are so plump and juicy which is a result of the cooking style. When testing this recipe I was trying to decide whether to go for baked or fried meatballs. In the end, the baking method won!

How to Bake Thai Meatballs

Baking is the best option for this Thai Chicken Recipe, as they keep them super juicy and plump. I found the fried meatballs came out really dry and almost burnt. I think the absence of a sauce meant they dried out a lot quicker. Baking meant they kept their shape a lot better too.

There are two methods for baking. The first is to line a baking tray with foil and place the Thai chicken meatballs on the tray. The second option is to use a deep baking tray that has a wire rack large enough to fit in it. I found this method keeps the meatballs slightly more round and ensures even cooking, but both will work perfectly well!

raw thai chicken meatballs rolled into balls, on wire rack placed in baking tray

cooked thai chicken meatballs on a wire rack placed in baking tray

Chicken Thai Meatballs Serving Suggestions

The Thai Dipping Sauce for Meatballs are key to elevating these Thai meatballs! Serve cold or warm, depending on your taste preference. Furthermore, these can also be made a day ahead and reheated when you’re ready to serve!

So get baking these! This is one of the best chicken recipes for a crowd. And enjoy your Football parties with this delicious, bite-size finger food!

For more Thai-inspired recipes, try some of our favorites:

Thai Butternut Squash Soup
Thai Sausage Rolls
Thai Style Chicken Buddha Bowl with Coconut Peanut Sauce

And definitely give our 5-ingredient Chicken Stir Fry Recipe a try.

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